Meeting News - February 2, 2009 - (Page 28)

Insider Report: Gaming Destinations Reno Retooling Still Strong Billions of dollars have gone into renovations of Reno’s convention hotels, and billions more are helping build new retail and entertainment infrastructure in the city. “We’re looking at unprecedented development,” said Michael Thomas, executive director of marketing for the Reno-Sparks Convention & Visitors Authority. For example, the 1,000-room Atlantis Casino Resort Spa finished a $70 million expansion that yielded a new ballroom and eight meeting rooms—including a high-tech executive boardroom. Great news for convention attendees is a new pedestrian sky bridge that connects the resort to the adjacent Reno-Sparks Convention Center. “That’s something meeting planners like—for the convention center to be attached to a hotel— and now we have one,” said Thomas. The Peppermill Resort Casino is finishing a run of expansion, at a total of a half-billion dollars. The resort added 600 rooms in a new, all-suite tower, raising the property’s room count to 1,635. The suites are as large as 2,200 sf and equipped with custom furniture, marble showers, and European-style soaking tubs. The Grand Sierra Resort and Casino spent nearly $100 million on renovating a large portion of its suites. With 1,995 guest rooms, the Grand Sierra spent about $5 million renovating the hotel’s 200,000 sf of meeting space. In 2008, Reno’s meetings-facility package was boosted by the new Downtown Ballroom. Adjacent to the fairly new Reno Events Center and National Bowling Stadium, the Downtown Ballroom is a 28,000-sf space with a commercial kitchen that can serve meals to 1,900 guests. Column-free space, for up to 2,900 general-session attendees, can be divided into six rooms. The facility is managed by a cooperative from the Eldorado Hotel Casino, Circus Circus Reno, and Silver Legacy Resort Casino. This summer, a dramatic destination retail and entertainment center will open in Sparks. The Legend at Sparks Marina will cost $1.2 billion and cover 1 million sf. Already open: the 300,000-sf Scheels All Sports retail outlet. The tenant list includes dozens of shops and restaurants. Also later this year, Sparks will see completion of Phase II of the Truckee River Whitewater Park, which first opened in 2003. Reno’s year-round park offers water adventure in the heart of downtown. There are 2,600 feet of river and rapids for kayakers, rafters, swimmers, and water enthusiasts and nearly a dozen drop pools. Guests can weave through slalom courses with hanging gates just like in Olympic competitions. The park’s success is hoped to be duplicated at the new Sparks facility in White Park. A milliondollar venture will provide kayaking and all water sports offered in Reno, plus new riverbed landscaping, shade and play structures, more parking, and better access for people with disabilities. —Section by Ron Donoho The Truckee River Whitewater Park flows into Phase II, with more thrills, this summer. Triple-A Baseball Stadium Will Be Group-Friendly A Triple-A baseball stadium is coming to downtown Reno. It’ll be the anchor of an $81 million ballpark district that will include retail, business, and entertainment venues. Construction is on schedule for the stadium to open in time for the April 17 home opener of the Reno Aces, an affiliate of the Arizona Diamondbacks. The ballpark will have 6,400 seats and a total capacity for 10,000 spectators. The entertainment district will feature three restaurants, three nightclubs, and an outdoor events plaza. The ballpark’s management looks forward to booking groups into a variety of venues in and around the stadium. “We’ll definitely reach out to the hotels and casinos and the convention bureau,” said Brian Moss, director of ticketing for the Reno Aces. “This is definitely a state-of-theart venue that’s not just for baseball.” For small groups (up to 20), luxury suites will be available on a nightly basis. Three dugout suites can accommodate up to 45 people. The Hall of Fame club suites—upscale “super suites,” according to Moss—are indoor/outdoor facilities that can hold 150. A Plaza Overlook area, which will be connected to the Entertainment Plaza, has a capacity of 250, but it can be combined with the Hall of Fame club suites. The leftfield party deck will hold 500, and a Bullpen Party Deck, which has overflow capacity, will work for large groups of up to 3,000. Groups of 20 or more are eligible for special rates. Tickets range from $6 to $29, but Moss said all-inclusive packages can be arranged. An allAmerican buffet option includes hot dogs, hamburgers, potato salad, potato chips, and cookies. Meal upgrades will also be available. 28 MeetingNews February 2, 2009 www.meetingnews.com http://www.meetingnews.com

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